Ireland's coastline

We come out in force on days when the sun 'splits the stones' as they say. Ireland's weather may not be California-style, but beach life is in our blood. We head there throughout the year, for watersports, walks, or just to chill out.

Greystones Beach, County Wicklow

There is a whopping 1,448km of coastline around the island. From city beaches just outside Belfast and Dublin, to stony little coves on the Antrim Coast and around West Cork, what really makes Ireland’s beaches stand out is the purity of the waters and the fact that even if there are people around you, it'll never feel crowded...

Wander the huge stretches of sand along the fringes of County Donegal, such as Ballymastocker, Rossnowlagh and Magheraroarty (here's how you say that last one: Ma-her-a-roar-tea!). Year-long it's a wind and wave-swept affair.

And they’re not the only legendary stretches of sand around. There’s Kells in Cahirciveen, County Kerry; Dog's Bay, Connemara, County Galway; and Ballycastle and Portush, both in County Antrim.